Hurricane Irma pummels Florida amid mass exodus

The streets of Miami, Florida, are empty as winds and rain in the outer bands of Hurricane Irma arrive in the city, September 9, 2017. (AFP photo)

Hurricane Irma has regained strength as it begins pummeling Florida, threatening almost the entire southeastern US state after leaving a deadly path of destruction across the Caribbean islands.

Irma strengthened to a Category 4 storm as it closed in on the island chain known as the Florida Keys, the US National Hurricane Center said early Sunday.

The storm had a maximum sustained winds of 130 miles (209 km) per hour and was on a path that would take it along the state's Gulf of Mexico coast, near population centers including Tampa and St. Petersburg. the NHC said.

Officials have urged nearly 7 million people in Florida to evacuate as the storm began unleashing heavy winds and rain on the state on Sunday.

Tens of thousands of Floridians have sought refuge in shelters to avoid a direct hit from the monster storm, although some have ignored repeated warnings and remained home.

More than 270,000 people were without electricity, Florida Power & Light, a power utility company, said on its website.

Florida Governor Rick Scott warned Saturday that “this is the most catastrophic storm the state has ever seen.”

"If you have been ordered to evacuate anywhere in the state, you need to leave right now. Not tonight. Not in an hour. Now. You are running out of time to make a decision," Scott said.

Irma is currently moving away from the coast of Cuba and is making landfall on the Florida Keys, which forms the southernmost portion of the state.